Method of operating pickling machines



March 21, 1933. w, I s 1,902,532

METHOD OF OPERATING PICKLING MACHINES Filed June 26, 1929 OBSERVEDBALANCING PRESSURE OP TIM UM BALANCING PRESSURE o mw M OBSERVED STEAMPRESSURE ancmg pressure for the Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIBALD TRINK S, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MESTAMACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA METHOD OF OPERATING PICKLING- MACHINES Application filedJune 26,

This invention relates to an improved method of operating picklingmachines such as shown for example in the patent to Mesta No. 1,107,821issued March 26, 1929. In such machines the load is partly balanced bycompressed air acting against the piston rod and is lifted by steamacting against a piston. The higher the counterbalancing air pressure,the lower can be the steam pressure or the smaller can be the diameterof the piston. In either case the steam consumption is materiallyreduced. However, any attempt to reduce the steam consumption is likelyto result in a decrease in speed of operation by reason of the fact thatwhile the mass to be moved remains approximately the same, the efiectivedownward force for accelerating the mass becomes very small if thecounterbalancing air pressure is increased in too great an amount. Thenumber of actuations .of the machine in a given period of time is thusreduced and the time required for a complete cycle of operations islengthened, thus offsetting the saving in steam. Obviously there is anoptimum air pressure in the balancing chamber of such value that itsaves as much steam as possible without noticeably slowing down theoperation of the machine, For a given machine such optimum air pressurewill vary with the particular loads being handled.

An ordinary operator cannot be expected unassisted to find the best airpressure for different loads and my invention provides a method wherebysuch optimum pressure may be readily determined by him. I provide fordetermining the optimum air pressure for a given load. either bycalculation or by test and for adjusting the fluid balload being handledpredetermined optimum pressure. The load may be readily measured bybalancing with whatever air pressure then existsin the counterbalancingcham-. ber plus such steam pressure as may be required. The balancing isdone by slowly closing the steam supply valve when the moving parts ofthe machine with their load are at the top position and by reading tosubstantially this 1929. Serial No. 373,742.

the steam and air pressures indicated as soon as the moving parts of themachine begin to sink. The optimum air pressure is preferably determinedfrom these readings by means of a specially prepared chart which hasbeen made up by calculation or by previous tests.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the present preferredembodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a transverse section through a pickling machine equipped forcarrying out my invention and Figure 2 shows one form of chart which maybe employed.

The pickling machine shown in Figure 1 is a well-known type comprising astandard 2 supporting a steam cylinder 3 and having incorporated in itan air cylinder 4. The moving parts of the machine are carried on apiston rod 5 having a piston 6 thereon. The piston rod 5 extends throughthe steam cylinder 3 into the air cylinder 4. Itprojects above the steamcylinder 3 and carries arms 7 from which the carriers 8 for mate rial tobe pickled are hung. The pickling and washing vats are indicated at 9.

Counterbalancing air is supplied through a pipe 10 having a valvetherein and excess air may be taken off through a valved pipe 11. Agauge 12 is-provided for reading the air pressure in the cylinder 4.Steam for raising the moving parts of the machine is supplied to thecylinder 3 below the piston-6 through a valved pipe 18. The pipes forsupplying and releasing steam are well known and need not be describedin detail. A gauge 14 is supplied for reading the steam pressure in thecylinder 3. 3

Assume that it is desired to pickle articles or bundles of articles of acertain weight. The machine is loaded and without disturbing the airpressure then existing in the cylinder 4, steam is admitted below thepiston 6 so as to raise the load. The steam pressure is graduallyreleased until the moving parts of the machine begin to lower and thesteam and air pressure are then read from the gauges 14 and 12. InFigure 2 there is shown a chart for determining from these gaugereadings the optimum balancing pressure. In this chart the observedsteam pressure is read along the bottom of the chart. The chart linesindicate different observed air pressures and the optimum balancingpressure is read along the vertical scale of the chart.

Assume, for example, that the loads are such that the steam gauge showsa reading of 50 pounds and the air gauge reads 60 pounds ;"starting at50 on the horizontal scale of the chart and moving upwardly to the linecorresponding to 60 pounds observed air pressure we read across to theleft and find that the optimum balancing pressure to be maintained inthe cylinder 4: for minimum steam consumption is 85 pounds. may beequipped with control mechanism to introduce and maintain the properpressure in .the balancing chamber.

The chart of Figure 2 may be readily constructed. a A machine carryingan average lo'ad is operated with successively high er pressure in thebalance cylinder. The speed of the machine and the time required forgood pickling are noted. That balancing air pressure at which a quickfalling off of the pickling speed occurs is observed and the bestbalancing pressure is decided upon at a safe distance below that point.This process; is repeated for a load considerablyv less than average andalso for a load considerably more than average. The steam pressurewhich, together with the optimum balancing pressure, supports the loadduring slow dropping from top position is noted, and the sum of theproducts (effective air plunger area :21 air pressure) and (efiectivepiston area a; steam pressure) is computed. This sum is equal to thetotal weight lifted but for such total weight lifted the best balancingair pressure is known from the tests and the chart is de- Machines ofthis character are or In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIBAL-D TRINKS.

signed to arrive at the above sum by taking the readings abovedescribed.

It will be understood, of course, that instead of a chart usingrectangular coordinates, alignment charts, slide rules, tabulations orother devices may be resorted to.

The experimental work of observing the best balancing pressure for agiven load is determined but oncevby the builder of the. picklingmachine and thereafter the method herein described can be carried out bythe average operator without difliculty. I have illustrated anddescribed a present prefelrred embodiment of the invention. It will beunderstood, however, that it is not thus limited, but may be otherwiseembodied or practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

A method of operating a pickling machine having an air balancing meansand a steam lifting means which comprises evalu-

